Raft Race To Splash On River

September 9, 1989|By MEG WALKER, Staff Writer

FORT LAUDERDALE -- As always, the 12th Annual New River Raft Race on Sunday promises to be a zany, colorful and water-soaked event.

More than 100 rafts, decked out in red, white and blue -- to promote this year`s theme of the U.S. flag -- will crowd the New River. Crews will attempt to row or paddle their homemade rafts around the three-mile course without getting waylaid by the buckets of water that are sure to be tossed between competing crafts.

And as always, Fort Lauderdale police are hoping the event, expected to draw 100,000 spectators, will not get out of hand.

At least 28 police officers will work the crowd and will watch for water balloons, which in the past have been hurled by spectators at each other and at the racers.

``We`re trying to take the rowdy part out,`` said Sgt. Robert Dietrich, who is coordinating security. ``It`s a good event but we`ve always had a problem with water balloons. We are telling people not to bring them and not to throw anything.``

He said people who insist on throwing the balloons despite warnings from police can be arrested and charged under a city ordinance that prohibits throwing missile-type objects.

Last year, four people were arrested at the event, he said.

``We don`t want to take the fun out of this but we don`t want anyone hurt. It`s a safety issue,`` Dietrich said. Last year someone dropped a bag of flour on a crew member`s head as a boat passed under one of the bridges, he said.

The race is sponsored by the Fort Lauderdale Jaycees and radio station KISS (WKQS-FM). Organizers hope to raise at least $17,500 for United Cerebral Palsy. Money is raised from the rafts` entrance fees, which range from $50 to $500.

The rafts this year also promise to be as creative as those in the past, when entries have included a raft with a dragon and one with Garfield the cat.